SummerSlam 2015 Predictions

Man, tonight is going to be a big show. Now, being from New York, I really wish I could be there to see SummerSlam live. But alas, it wasn’t in the cards. Instead, I was live in person for NXT Brooklyn last night. And, I got to meet Rey Mysterio Friday when he wrestled my trainer Amazing Red at the most recent House of Glory Show. This is undoubtedly the biggest wrestling weekend of the summer, and it’s getting ten matches bigger tonight! So, let’s get to the predictions!

1) Randy Orton vs. Sheamus

Seriously, who cares about this one? Why are these guys fighting anyway? Didn’t Randy Orton already beat Sheamus at Battleground? Seriously, this match is only here to get these guys on the show. And since Randy Orton won their last PPV encounter, I can only assume Sheamus will get his win back tonight.

Official Prediction- Sheamus

 

2) Rusev w/ Summer Rae vs. Dolph Ziggler w/ Lana

This feud has been horrible from the start. I think it’s fair to say that Rusev has lost almost any momentum he had as a monster heel in the last few months. Not to mention, has Summer Rae ever made the thing you were watching on TV better? No! That being said, the crowd at RAW last Monday popped huge for Ziggler’s return. But let’s be honest. It’s Dolph Ziggler. And we all know how WWE likes to book Dolph Ziggler. Maybe Lana will help him get a win in a future mixed tag match. But, he won’t win tonight. God forbid WWE take somebody that the crowd cheers organically, and actually push him.

Official Prediction- Rusev

 

3) Ryback (C) vs. Big Show vs. The Miz- Intercontinental Championship Triple Threat Match

Another match that makes me wonder, “Why are we seeing this?” This match really means nothing. Which is sad, because the IC Title should mean something. But who wants to see this match? I mean, we didn’t get to see it at Battleground, and nobody missed it back then. So, why would we care about it now? Anyway, there’s just no reason for Ryback to lose the championship. I mean, if he was going to lose the title, why not just strip him of the title when he first went away with his staph infection?

Official Prediction- Ryback Retains

 

4) The Prime Time Players (C) vs. The New Day vs. Los Matadores vs. the Lucha Dragons

Man, WWE really should have never taken the titles off the New Day. They are the only over tag team on the roster that’s active right now. And I love the Prime Time Players. They have a ton of potential. But the truth is, they have not delivered as Champions so far. The Lucha Dragons should be getting a real push. And as talented as Primo and Epico are, Diego and Fernando are a class A joke. I really hope the New Day wins. But, I feel like since Xavier Woods is supposed to have some sort of confrontation with the El Torito, we’re gonna see some bull shit in this one, and I won’t get my wishes. But just you watch, The New Day are going to be one of the most over acts of the entire night in Brooklyn tonight.

Official Prediction- Prime Time Players Retain

 

5) Red Arrow & Green Arrow (Neville & Stephan Amell) vs. Stardust & “The Cosmic King” King Barrett

Now, I have enjoyed this feud. I love Arrow, and I think Stephen Amell has done a tremendous job on that show.   Plus, it’s refreshing to see WWE using a celebrity who’s actually a visible fan of pro wrestling (much like tonight’s host John Stewart! Welcome back Johnny!). I am a fan of all four men in this match. Personally, I would love to see Stardust and Barrett form a permanent team, where they act like comic book villains. I want to see Stardust have minions to do his bidding. But, this is a celebrity match. It will be a fun couple of minutes, and won’t be horrible. But come on, when does WWE ever make the celebrity lose in a match?

Official Prediction- Good Triumphs over Evil

 

6) Team PCB vs. Team BAD vs. Team Bella- Elimination Match

Stage one of the Divas Revolution has begun. The women no longer have 30-second matches. But, there’s one tiny problem. Sure, the matches are longer. But much like the rest of the roster, they still don’t mean anything. I mean, when we just see a series of cold matches where the factions trade wins, who cares who wins? Nobody is really getting over. Reports came out that the original plan for the Divas revolution had Charlotte coming up and very quickly defeating Nikki Bella for the Divas Championship. Why did we not see this? Because John Cena discourage Vince McMahon from taking the belt off his girlfriend. As if the Internet didn’t already hate this guy enough. Now we just get a bunch of meaningless matches where the winners don’t’ get a title shot. Until that happens, the main roster Divas will always be outdone by the work we’ve seen from the women in NXT (see last night’s match between Bayley and Sasha Banks for reference.

Official Prediction- Team PCB will win because they’re the faces, but it won’t mean anything because Nikki Bella will still break a record she has no right even coming close to!

 

7) Kevin Owens vs. Cesaro

Owens had an amazing ladder match with Finn Bálor last night. I was there to witness it live and it was great. Now, part of me is weary about Kevin Owens losing two nights in a row. But, as we saw when Owens failed to take the United States Title from John Cena, WWE doesn’t have a clue how to properly book young stars in 2015, and doesn’t care about actually getting Kevin Owens over. There’s a chance this could steal the show. Ultimately, I feel that Kevin Owens will lose again, and blame his loss on having come off a brutal ladder match just 24 hours ago, setting up a potential rematch.

Official Prediction- The Cesaro Section Will have Cause to Celebrate

 

8) Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper

This is a feud that started out with a very interesting premise. Bray Wyatt was this weird creep who was going after Roman Reigns’ family. It has since devolved into a pseudo-Wyatt Family Reunion/Shield Reunion. Honestly, this match feels like I would see it on RAW. Or even worse, SmackDown. All four of these guys deserve much more. There’s rumblings on the Internet that either Ambrose or Reigns would turn on the other. It doesn’t really make any sense for Roman to turn on Ambrose, considering Roman is the one who started this feud. And while I think Ambrose turning on reigns is a good move, I don’t see it happening tonight. I think we will see another match between this group of guys, possibly involving another member of the Wyatt Family and Sting. But for now, I think Wyatt is going to get a clean pin over Ambrose. Maybe not 100% clean, but I don’t see a turn happening.

Official Prediction- Wyatt Family Wins

 

9) Seth Rollins (C) vs. John Cena (C)- WWE vs. US Title for Title Match

I have really liked this feud. Although Cena having his nose broken was a freak accident, it was almost a blessing in disguise. These guys have both delivered some great promos as of late, and it has made this a hot feud. I don’t know what’s going to happen, and that’s a good thing. There are a lot of possibilities. Rollins can win. Cena can win. Sheamus can cash in his briefcase tonight or tomorrow. I’m not 100% sold on any outcome. But, I feel that our most likely ending is a non-finish. Sure, not many people would be happy in WWE building up a Title for Title Match only to end in both men retaining their respective Championships. But chances are this match isn’t the main event, so we don’t necessarily need a definitive end to this match. Let’s prolong the feud. Because at this point, I don’t see either man winning the other’s championship. Not just yet anyway.

Official Prediction- No Contest

 

10) Brock Lesnar w/ Paul Heyman vs. The Undertaker

This is honestly the only match I wish I could see live. But, unfortunately, I could not find a reasonably priced ticket that I could afford. Their match at WrestleMania sucked. But that doesn’t matter. That’s the night that Undertaker had his streak broken. They had a really hot angle when these two brawled on TV 5 weeks ago. So hot, that I don’t think they should have actually touched each other last Monday. And another point I have to make is that I don’t get why WWE is trying to position Undertaker as a heel. It’s so stupid. There’s no way anybody in Brooklyn will boo The Undertaker tonight. Stupid booking aside, Undertaker stood tall over Lesnar on Monday night. Standard wrestling booking states he who stands tall on the come home show shall fall on the PPV. We all know that Undertaker needs a HUGE match for WrestleMania in Dallas next year. And I see more value in Undertaker fighting to beat the guy who beat him twice in a row than the Undertaker fighting a guy he’s already gotten his win back on. So with all those factors in play, I have to say that The Beast will keep his own win streak alive.

Official Prediction- Brock Lesnar Wins

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @MC_Live_LS

(All Photos Courtesy WWE.com)

Remembering Roddy Piper

I’m still shocked and in absolute disbelief. I can’t believe that the one and only Rowdy Roddy Piper is no longer with us. First and foremost, I want to send my condolences to his family and friends. I hope that they can find peace in these troublesome times.

I don’t really know what to say. I debated even writing this, because I didn’t want to be seen as somebody trying to draw attention to myself by capitalizing on somebody else’s notoriety. When Dusty Rhodes passed away a few weeks ago, I felt it wasn’t my place to write more than a tweet in remembrance. I don’t feel it is my place to speak on such matters. I just want the families of these great men to find solace in these tragic events.

But with Roddy, I have to say something. I’ve always loved Roddy Piper. I’ve always found him to be one of the most entertaining individuals to ever enter a wrestling ring. And to know that we’ll never get to hear those bagpipes again, and we’ll never get to see the Hot Rod walk down to the ring for one more Piper’s Pit, quite frankly, it sucks. But, I hope we can all find peace. And I know, that somewhere up there in the great beyond, Piper is having an endless number of new Piper’s Pit segments with guys like Dusty Rhodes, Mr. Perfect, Piper’s old friend Adrian Adonis, and so many more.

I’m a younger fan. I never got to see Piper in his glory years. But every time I saw Roddy Piper come back for his one-night appearances, I still felt the magic he always exuded. When I went back and watched Piper’s greatest promos, and his greatest matches, and all of his interactions with guys like Hogan, Flair, Hart, and everyone else, I felt the magic. Every time Roddy Piper came on screen, it was impossible to not feel that energy that made the Hot Rod so “rowdy”. He was just a master at drawing the viewer in, and making them emotionally connected. Nobody knew how to control a microphone quite the way Roddy Piper did.

Just the other day, I was watching WrestleMania XII. And as I was watching the several segments that made up the infamous Hollywood Back Lot Brawl with Goldust, I was thinking, “Man, Piper is crazy!” And it is that very craziness that made us love him so much. People talk so much about having that “it” factor. Well, nobody really had “it” quite the way Roddy Piper had “it”. Whether Piper was smashing a coconut on Jimmy Snuka’s head, putting a countless number of opponents in a sleeper hold, or joking around with Jim Duggan on Legends House, everyone felt the electricity in the air. It is a very small list of people who have been able to be both the most hated man in wrestling, and the most beloved. And Roddy Piper was fantastic, no matter what side of the coin he was on.

Roddy Piper is an inspiration. He was a man who literally came form nothing, had to scratch and claw his way to the top of the world, and succeeded at levels that most people can only dream of. He became a champion, a legend, a hero, and an icon. And most importantly, he became a loving husband and father. I just hope that I can one day be half the man Roddy Piper was. That’ll be a good place to be at.

The world is never going to be the same place without Roddy being out there. I could go on and on about the countless memorable moments he’s had, or all of the catch phrases that the Rowdy one spit out. But, I think time is now better spent living the rest of our lives to honor Roddy, not waste them by doing nothing. I want to end this the way that Piper used to end his old Podcast. He used to read an old Irish blessing off. So Hot Rod, this one’s for you. We love you, we’ll miss you, and we’ll always look up to you for a smile!

“For those that love us, may God bless them.

For those that don’t, may He turn their hearts.

And if He can’t turn their hearts,

May He turn their ankles so that we recognize them by their limp!”

Rest in Peace, Love, and Power Roddy Piper.

WWE Battleground 2015 Predictions

What… what is this? It’s time for the next WWE PPV event… and it’s been more than two weeks. This feels weird. Like, five weeks between a PPV? How did the WWE survive?

Anyway, it is indeed time for WWE to present Battleground, live on the WWE Network and PPV. Since I’m on vacation, I probably won’t be watching this show live. Which, given some of the matches, is probably a good thing. Who needs to see Randy Orton vs. Sheamus for the zillionth time? I don’t. But, I can still try to predict what will happen.

1) King Barrett vs. R-Truth- Kickoff Match

How many times have we been able to look at Wade Barrett’s career and ask, “What happened?” I like Barrett. I like Truth. I liked the King of the Ring. But, absolutely none of this matters. It’s just a useless filler feud. Not to mention, we’ve seen this match about 5 times already. The only difference is that this time, the winner gets to walk away with the King of the Ring crown. Given how unsuccessful Barrett has been as King, if I were him, I would lose on purpose. That crown has done nothing but make him even more useless and meaningless. And given his position before he won the KOTR, you would think that was impossible. So the question is, who does WWE like to job out more? Barrett, or Truth? Honestly, the worst possible thing for Barrett would be to keep the KOTR Crown. And given that WWE always does the worst possible thing with Barrett, I just feel that he’s going to win, although nobody will care.

Official Prediction- The Reign of King Barrett Continues

 

2) Randy Orton vs. Sheamus

And in another match nobody cares about… we have The Viper and the Celtic Warrior in their 53^rd rematch this year! So, the match wasn’t interesting in the first place. Then, Randy Orton goes on vacation, and in the 5 possible weeks of build up, Orton is just inexplicably absent, and turns it into a week, 2 weeks off, and two weeks of (no) build to the match. But, WWE had nothing else for these guys to do, so throw ‘em together, right? Again, since there’s no real story here, it’s hard to guess where they’re going. So, I just have to assume that WWE will do what they always do. Orton rarely loses, and the Money in the Bank holder rarely wins. How many people has Sheamus actually pinned since winning the briefcase? My point exactly.

Official Prediction- The Viper Strikes

 

3) The Prime Time Players (C) vs. The New Day- WWE Tag Team Championship

Well, at least these guys have been on TV. This has actually been a very simple feud. “We’re the best team!” “No, we’re the best team!” “The POW-AH OF POSETIVITY!” I really don’t know where to go here. I don’t exactly see the PTP losing the titles so quickly. Then again, nobody has held those belts for longer than 2 months since the Usos had them last year. So, it seems quick tag title changes are the WWE’s M-O right now. It seems that the New Day hasn’t gotten the upper hand over the Prime Time Players once in this feud. So, maybe it’s time for that to happen. I may be wrong here, cause I think the safe bet will be the PTP retaining. But, I’m feeling that if I harness the power of positivity, and go out on a limb, I may be right.

Official Prediction- New… Day Regains!

 

4) Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt

This started out as an interesting feud. It was different, it was new. Wyatt’s threatening of Roman’s family was something he hadn’t done before. But, they couldn’t come up with a way to make Roman not look stupid. Remember when Roman Reigns just ran out of a match because Bray Wyatt was in the back having a tea party on the screen? Like did Roman seriously believe that Wyatt was having a tea party with Roman’s daughter? Seriously. Roman’s family lives in Florida. They were in Indianapolis or something like that. Who thought up that dumb idea? Ever since then, the feud has boiled down to the typical Bray Wyatt feud. Cryptic promos not really saying much at all, and random appearances costing Roman matches. At this point, neither man should be losing a match. And, after reading the predictions from the WWE.com staff, I don’t think either man will lose. The one and only Joey Styles predicted a no contest. And given that you know WWE will continue this feud, I think that’s a good plan. Just let these guys brawl to a double count out, and keep on fighting. Then, keep moving forward. At least, I think waiting to provide a finish is a stronger option than having either man lose right now.

Official Prediction- No Contest

 

5) John Cena (C) vs. Kevin Owens- WWE United States Championship

This may be an early front-runner for Feud of the Year. Not only have these two had several classics in their first two meetings, but parts of this feud have also included those fantastic Cena-Cesaro matches, the great Cesaro-Rusev-Owens match from RAW, and Kevin Owens powerbombing Machine Gun Kelly! Bonus points for that last one! With Owens dropping the NXT Title to Bálor, he needs to rebound. Chances are Cena and Owens meet again at SummerSlam. Maybe, it’ll be a triple threat with Cesaro. Maybe, a Fatal Four Way with Rusev. And given that Owens has cost both Cesaro and Rusev US Title matches, maybe one, or both of them cost Owens the match tonight. I don’t exactly see the Bálor Owens rematch being Champion vs. Champion. But… I also don’t think it’s a good idea to have Owens lose here. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe, this will be the match where we get a no contest. But, I went out on a limb for the first Owens Cena match, and I’m going to do it again here. Owens is on his way to the top, and I think he takes his next big step tonight.

Official Prediction- Owens becomes US Champion

 

6) Seth Rollins (C) vs. Brock Lesnar- WWE Championship

This has actually been a pretty entertaining feud. And I think Seth Rollins has really been coming in to his own as of late. It’s about time he started stepping up, and away from the Authority. Usually, I would say that Brock beats Rollins. But this isn’t usually. I don’t think another Brock title reign is the best idea. Given that Lesnar had the upper hand at the end of RAW, and since there’s no Authority to back him up, Seth’s chances of winning don’t look too good right now. Which is exactly what WWE wants. I don’t know how, but I see Seth Rollins walking out with the WWE Championship.

Official Prediction- Rollins Retains

WWE Money in the Bank 2015 Predictions

I want to start this off by again giving my condolences to the family of Dusty Rhodes. Dusty was the definition of a legend. He was one of the true pioneers of professional wrestling. We will miss you Dream. Thanks for all the memories.

Now, it’s time to talk Money in the Bank. In past years, Money in the Bank has proven to be one of the best shows all year, and I’m hoping that trend continues. We have a pretty good card tonight, so I think it’s time to get to it.

Pre-Show Match: R-Truth vs. King Barrett

Last Monday, I thought R-Truth’s segment was stupid. But it was funny. Really funny. With that aside, this match doesn’t matter. WWE likes to bury Barrett for whatever reason, and R-Truth seems to win matches he has no business winning. Who do I want to win? Barrett. Who do I think is going to win? R-Truth. Let’s see if WWE ever does the right thing for Barrett. Cause they don’t have a great track record.

Official Prediction- R-Truth

 

1) Nikki Bella (C) vs. Paige- WWE Divas Championship

I like Paige. A lot of the audience does. I think that big things are in store for Paige, and I think WWE Creative agrees. But, creative has always had an affinity for pushing the Bella’s, long before they were actually good. I think Paige should be the face of the division, but I don’t see her ascending the thrown tonight. My gut tells me that the belt is staying put. But, I don’t think for long.

Official Prediction- Nikki Retains

 

2) Ryback (C) vs. The Big Show- Intercontinental Championship

Who’s excited for this one? I’m not. Maybe they’ll surprise me. I like Ryback. He’s not great, but he gets a reaction with those “Feed Me More” chants. And Big Show is a veteran. To his credit, he does have the ability to make good performances, especially when it’s not expected of him. But there isn’t a lot of oomph (is that how you spell it?) behind this feud. In fact, there’s almost no reason to want to watch this one. We already saw the babyface hit his finishing move on the heel. That is a spot they should have saved for PPV. I have a sneaking suspicion that this might not end cleanly. There is a possibility of Miz getting involved. I’m undecided on if Ryback will beat Big Show, or if we will see a DQ or count out. But I am positive that Ryback’s run as IC Champ will be longer than a fortnight.

Official Prediction- Ryback Retains

3) The New Day (C) vs. The Prime Time Players- WWE Tag Team Championship

I love both teams here. There is a lot of potential in all of these guys. And while it’s not the best, at least there’s been a little spotlight on the tag division recently. But this seems pretty cut and dry. Since Kofi is in the Money in the Bank match, it looks like Big E is gonna tag with Xavier. I love the Prime Time Players. I’ve been a big fan for a while, and think they’re very entertaining. But the New Day is on a roll, and they’re gonna keep on rolling tonight.

Official Prediction- New Day Retains

 

4) Kevin Owens vs. John Cena II

One more match, two weeks later. Is this going to be as good as last time? Is it gonna be better? Knowing these two, you better bet it’s gonna be a great match. But what are they going to do differently? I mean, Owens pinning Cena clean was crazy. Whoda thunk it? I can guarantee, Cena isn’t going down clean twice in a row. Is Cena going to win? I hope not. I’m pretty sure WWE wants to have at least one more match out of these two. I’m just not sure how they’re going to get there. So, I think Cena will win, most likely by DQ.

Official Prediction- Cena’s Time Isn’t Up

 

5) Dolph Ziggler vs. Kane vs. Neville vs. Sheamus vs. Randy Orton vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Roman Reigns- Money in the Bank Ladder Match

I mean, if anything is clear, it’s this: Only one man has a shot at winning tonight, and that man is…

Official Prediction- Kofi Kingston!

Ok not really. I love Kofi, but that ain’t gonna happen. I think that the Money in the Bank contract should be used for somebody who isn’t ready to be WWE Champion now, but will be in a few months. But none of those guys (guys like Rusev, Wyatt, Ambrose) are in this match. Roman Reigns is, and he’s ready to be WWE Champion right now. I fully expect Reigns to bring that briefcase home, and I’m ok with that.

Official Official Prediction- Roman will Reign

 

6) Seth Rollins (C) vs. Dean Ambrose- WWE Championship Ladder Match

I don’t know why this is a ladder match. Sure, these guys will have a great match. But will it measure up to what the other 7 guys in the contract match are gonna do. For some reason WWE believes that they need multiple ladder matches to sell the show. They don’t. But, we have it anyway. Ambrose has actually been getting a good push lately. One he deserves. But, I’ve been saying it since Mania. Rollins isn’t losing the title until he meets Brock Lesnar. I just hope that since they’ve been saying the Authority won’t get involved, that they don’t. It’ll be different than what they’ve done basically every night since the Authority formed, and it would do Rollins some good to start going off on his own.

Official Prediction- Rollins Retains

Elimination Chamber 2015 Predictions

Well, it’s go time.  Two weeks since the last big special, two more until the next one.  And that means it’s prediction time again!

Pre-Show: Zack Ryder vs. Stardust

So this just got added.  Jobber vs. Jobber here.  But since Ryder got the Cena match on RAW, maybe WWE will actually follow up on that.

Official Prediction- LI Iced Z! Woo Woo Woo

1) Adrian Neville vs. Bo Dallas

Pretty cut and dry here.  I like both competitors.  But WWE is clearly more interested in pushing only one of these competitors- Neville

Official Prediction- Gravity Will Remember this Winner

2) Nikki Bella (c) vs. Paige vs. Naomi- Divas Championship

I really don’t know what to do here.  I don’t exactly see either challenger taking the title away, but Nikki has already had a really long reign.  I think it’s time to take the belt off Nikki, but I’m not sure it’s time just yet.  Maybe at Money in the Bank.

Official Prediction- Nikki Retains

3) The New Day (C) vs. Los Matadors vs. The Prime Time Players vs. The Ascension vs. The Lucha Dragons vs. Kidd & Cesaro- WWE Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber

I’m very interested in seeing how this one will turn out.  It’s the first ever tag team elimination chamber.  And with that said, most of the guys in this match shouldn’t be in a Chamber match.  None of them are realistically that over.  Regardless, this’ll be a very interesting match.  And I feel that the New Day is on such a roll, that the Chamber won’t stop them tonight.

Official Prediction- New… Day  Wins

4) Sheamus vs. R-Truth vs. King Barrett vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Ryback vs. ???- Intercontinental Championship Elimination Chamber

This is another example of guys who don’t belong in a chamber being in a chamber because WWE creative is lazy.  But, this is what we got.  R-Truth ain’t gonna win.  And Rusev will be replaced, that we know.  We just don’t know by who.  The leading rumor is Bray Wyatt, which I agree with.  He should be used.  Personally, I think that Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, and Bray Wyatt should all be in this match.  Make it feel really important.  But, I’m not in charge.  I think Rusev was my leading choice, but he’s injured unfortunately.  With that in mind, Sheamus was the believed front runner two weeks ago, so I’m going with a default pick here.

Official Prediction- Sheamus wins Fella!

5) John Cena vs. Kevin Owens- Champion vs. Champion

I have loved Kevin Owens since I first saw him in ROH about 5 years go.  He’s fantastic.  And his work in NXT has been just as good as his two appearances on RAW.  Now, I originally thought this would be a US Title match, with the idea being Owens loses and goes back to NXT until further notice.  But since it isn’t a title match, I’m not so sure.  I think there’s a possibility that we don’t get a clean finish tonight, and this feud may continue.  I know it’s not too likely, but what’s life without a few risk.  So, I’m going with the wild horse in the NXT Champion.

Official Prediction: Win Owens Win

6) Seth Rollins (C) vs. Dean Ambrose- WWE Championship

In a rekindling of what was probably the 2014 feud of the year, we are gonna get another great main event out of these two.  On a side note, that angle form RAW Monday was BLAZINGLY STUPID.  Roman Reigns and The Authority will be involved, that’s a definite.  This is another match where we may get another not clean finish.  But I am sure, no matter what, Rollins leaves with his title.

Official Prediction- Rollins Retains

WWE NXT Unstoppable Predictions

Time is short.  I only have 15 Minutes to get this done.  But damn, I am psyched up for this show, like I always am with NXT Takeover specials.  So let’s get this going!

1) Baron Corbin vs Rhyno

I like this matchup.  A really simple, easy build.  Two guys who like to fight, are gonna fight.  Easy choice here.  Rhino’s job is to make Corbin look like a star.  Corbin wins, probably reversing a Gore into the End of Days.

Official Prediction- Baron Corbin

2) Bayley & Charlotte vs. Emma & Dana Brooks

One team is made up of great stars in the women’s division.  One team has a good wrestler, and someone who is very new.  Bayley & Charlotte have made their spots in NXT.  Emma lost hers, and Dana hasn’t had one yet.  Bayley & Charlotte are they favorites going in, which makes me think Dana and Emma are gonna pull a surprise.

Official Prediction- Dana Brooke & Emma

3) Blake & Murphy (C) vs. Enzo Amore & Colin Cassady- NXT Tag Team Championship

I love Enzo and Big Cass.  They are my favorite tag team on the planet.  I’m up in the air on this.  On one hand, Enzo and Cass got beat down last time we saw them, so they should get revenge.  But, they also beat the champs in a non title match, so the champs want revenge. I think, best case scenario, Carmella screws Enzo and Cass out of the match, helping the very bland Tag champs get some character development.  Enzo and Cass should be champs, but for tonight, I don’t think the champs will be S-A-W-F-T SAAAWWWWWFFFFFTTTTT!

Official Prediction- Blake and Murphy

4) Finn Bálor vs. Tyler Breeze (vs. Hideo Itami?)- #1 Contenders Match

It really sucks that Itami got injured.  He was really on an up swing, and he had a good chance at winning here.  It’s possible that Itami could be replaced by someone (Maybe some guy named Joe with an undisclosed heritage).  But, I give Breeze no chance here.  Not only are we not going to have a babyface champion for him to challenge, but he also stood tall on the go home, which means he loses.  Not to mention, Demon Bálor has some unfinished business with Kevin Owens.  So I think that Bálor picks up another win here.

Official Prediction- Finn Bálor

5) Sasha Banks (C) vs. Becky Lynch- NXT Womens Championship

This will be amazing.  Great story here, great work by both girls.  But very simply, I don’t think it’s Becky’s time.  Sasha is still the Boss of NXT.

Official Prediction- Sasha Banks

6) Kevin Owens (C) vs. Sami Zayn- NXT Championship

This is gonna be a barn burner.  These guys both had great showings on recent editions of RAW with John Cena.  With Kevin Owens facing Cena in 11 days at Elimination Chamber, I feel that he has to enter that match as NXT Champion.  We all know the story of these two.  It’s fantastic.  And tonight will be another great chapter for these two.  But, I don’t think we get the happy ending most people want.  At least not tonight.

Official Prediction- Win Owens Win

Make sure to follow me on Twitter: @MC_Live_LS

WWE Payback Predictions

Pre-Show Match: R-Truth vs. Stardust

As I right this, this match is starting. Didn’t know about it before hand. Oh well. Stardust won the last one. So they’re gonna switch it now.

Official Prediction- What’s Up

 

Pre-Show Match: The Meta-Powers vs. The Ascension

Why can’t Damien Sandow just be Damien Sandow? His promo a few weeks ago where he talked about his career was fantastic. As much as I love Axelmania, there is no need for Macho Mandow. Sandow does a great job with everything he does. But I just don’t get why he can’t be Damien Sandow. Anyway, I am usually good at predicting where a story is going, if the story is told well. But there isn’t much of a story here. Just a group of guys the WWE creative has forgotten. I’m gonna go with the Minor Powers, just cause I think they’ll get the feel good win.

Official Prediction: The Meta-Powers Explode the Ascension

 

1) Naomi and Tamina vs. The Bella Twins

The @WWECreative_ish twitter put it best. The Bella Twins are faces because… reason! Bathroom break!

Official Prediction: Bella Twins

 

2) King Barrett vs. Neville

These guys have been having some good matches lately. But the problem is that we’ve seen this match already, several times. Exactly why are they fighting again? Anyway, Barrett has gotten the upper hand the last few times they’ve met, and Neville looks to be on the rise. Thank God they might actually book Neville not like crap. Or, at least I hope that they don’t do that.

Official Prediction- The Red Arrow will topple the crown

 

3) Dolph Ziggler vs. Sheamus

The story has been all about Ziggler getting “payback” on Sheamus after last months atrocity of a gimmick match. This is another example of how WWE has terrible feuds. I like both guys in their receptive roles, but nothing feels that over the top about this feud. But, seeing as how Sheamus got one over at Ziggler at Extreme Rules, I think Ziggler needs to look good tonight.

Official Prediction- Ziggler Wins

 

4) Ryback vs. Bray Wyatt

This has been an ok feud. The biggest problem is that neither one of these guys is too high profile, and while a win will make one guy look good, the other guy will not. I’m not sure what rout they are going to take with this match. Wyatt has a history of losing the first match in a feud. But, I think it’ll be the other way around. I am certain WWE will extend this feud past tonight. And I think the best way to do that is to have Ryback fall to the New Face of Fear, and have to fight to get his win back.

Official Prediction- Follow the Buzzards

5) The New Day (C) vs. Tyson Kidd & Cesaro- 2 Out of 3 Falls Match WWE Tag Team Championship

Boy, has something clicked with the New Day. I did not see them winning the Titles at Extreme Rules, but they did, and that was the right choice. The New Day has been doing fantastic as of late. I expect this to be the best match all night. I love Kidd & Cesaro, but given that they have gotten two straight victories in one on one matches over New Day this week, I gotta pick the champs to retain.

Official Prediction- New… Day Rocks!

 

6) John Cena (C) vs. Rusev- I Quit Match WWE United States Championship

This is overkill. Their chain match had a definitive ending last month. We were all ready to move on. And then… 10 minutes later they announce the re-re-rematch. It seems like Lana is going to play a part in the finish, because neither man is going to just quit out on their own. I really don’t care at all. I’m over this feud.

Official Prediction- John Cena Retains

 

7) Seth Rollins (C) vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton- WWE Championship

I’m actually surprised that they’re doing this. I thought Ambrose should have been elsewhere. I think if they did the Shield Triple Threat match in a few months after building all three guys properly, it can be great. But anyway, we get this now. Again, whatever. WWE is just so-so now. Nothing interests me that much anymore. Which is sad. Anyway, Seth Rollins is going to defend the WWE Championship against Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam. Everything before then is just killing time, cause Rollins ain’t losing the title. While I don’t think it should happen, a Dean Ambrose heel turn won’t surprise me.

Official Prediction- Seth Rollins steals the win.

(All Photos Courtesy WWE.com)

Make Sure to follow me on Twitter- Search for @MC_Live_LS

Extreme Rules 2015 Predictions

Woah! I forgot my Extreme Rules predictions. So, real quick, I’ma let my guesses out as I watch the show. For the record, I called Neville defeating Barrett.

But, here are my predictions for the rest of the main card-

1. Dean Ambrose def. Luke Harper in a Chicago Street Fight for what I believe will be Ambrose’s first ever PPV singles win.

2. Tyson Kidd & Cesaro (C) def. The New Day to retain the WWE Tag Team Championships.  Sucks that Bryan had to be taken off the show, but at least the Tag Titles got moved off the pre-show.

3. Sheamus def. Dolph Ziggler in a Kiss  Me Arse Match.  What a horribly stupid idea for a gimmick.  Sheamus wins cause I don’t see WWE doing anything else.

4. Nikki Bella (C) def. Namoi- After the Bellas semi phantom face turn, I just don’t see Naomi as champ.

5. Roman Reigns def. Big Show- Last Man Standing Match- Because Roman Reigns

6. John Cena (C) def. Rusev in a Russian Change Match to retain the United States Championship.  Because John Cena.

7. Seth Rollins (C) def. Randy Orton in a Steel Cage Match to retain the WWE Championship.  I don’t know what Kane is gonna do, but I don know that Seth is going to have a much longer reign than one month.

Diary of a Wrestling Trainee- My First Month of Training

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to write something. What can I say, I’ve been busy. And what have I been busy doing? Well, catching up on my TV shows, going to work, going to class. Oh, and going to wrestling!

So it’s been a month, and it’s been fun. Not to mention, informative. And a little painful. But I can say that it’s been worth it. Signing up for wrestling training is easily the best decision I have ever made. I freaking love it. And I feel so at home there. I just know it feels right.

First off, let me describe my trip to House of Glory. After about a 45 minute trip on the J and M trains, I have about a 5 minute walk through Queens to go from the subway station to the school. Queens is quite an interesting place. It’s certainly much different form Manhattan. Less traffic, and the buildings are all basically two stories and below. And half of the buildings aren’t residential. Half of them have the big garage shutter doors down. And the ones that are open range from little markets to a few laundromats, and even a karate studio.

Finally, I come up to the House of Glory School. While it’s usually got the shutters down, the door in the middle is open. You swing the door open, and walk into what is almost a glorified, should be laundromat. The ceiling is kind of low (anybody over 6 foot 1 will hit their head if they stand on the top rope), and the walls are painted black and orange. There’s a small weight rack with a few barbells in the front, and an open area in the back with some mats on the floor. And right in the middle is the ring. Black canvas, black and orange ropes, no aprons. It doesn’t look like much, but it certainly feels like home.

The people are the best part. Of course, the head trainer is the one and only Amazing Red. And the other head trainer is Brian XL, although if I’m being honest, I’m not sure he should be called a trainer. In my first month, I haven’t seen him there much. But I think he takes care of the business end more. And the lead trainer for the beginner’s class is Smiley, one of House of Glory’s top students, and featured wrestlers. Couple him with a few other advanced students, and it’s a good place to learn filled with people willing to teach.

The training itself is fun. It is a pretty laid back environment. It’s just a group of people having fun. We make some jokes, we fool around a bit, we laugh, and we have a good time. But that’s not to say we don’t work. It’s not accurate to say every day, but most days we get a pretty good strength and conditioning workout in. In fact yesterday we did about an hour of sit ups, planks, and squats. My abs still feel sore over 24 hours later. But it was worth it. I’m the type of person who likes to push myself, especially when I’m in an environment surrounded by other people working. It’s a trait I picked up from my days as an amateur wrestler. So whether it’s planks, push ups, sit ups, squats, sprints, or whatever, I’m down to keep going until my body gives out. And luckily, my body hasn’t given out yet.

And then, finally, there’s the wrestling training. The stuff we do in the ring. So far, I’ve only learned the basics. But the basics are really fun. On my first day there, I just went in, paid my dues, and watched for 6 hours. I watched some training, and I watched the students work matches at the end of the night. Then, two days later, I had my first official day of training. On that day, I learned to lock up, the way that nearly every match starts, as well as transition into an arm wringer. I think we were supposed to learn to bump, but Smiley got a little to preoccupied working with the other students, which was fine by me. Now you hear stories all the time about people going to wrestling and quitting after the first day. Funnily enough, I now have one of those stories. There was another kid, the same age as me, who started on the same day as me. We learned the lock up and the arm ringer, and left at the end of the day. And I haven’t seen him since. Strange, since he paid the full price of the first month ($350!) for only one practice. I don’t know what happened to him, but I’ll probably never see him again. So if he’s out there reading, good luck Jay in whatever you do!

It was my second day that I finally learned what may be the most important part of wrestling. I learned how to bump! Now, I’m not going give away all the secrets and tell you how it’s done. But I’ll say what I’ve learned. At first, you need to learn the basic rolls. Quarter rolls, forward rolls, and backward rolls. Being an amateur wrestler, it wasn’t hard for me to learn these. It just took a little instruction. And then, once I knew the rolls, I was taught how to bump. Peronsally, I’ve heard a lot of horror stories about first bumps. A lot of people have said that it really shook them. A lot of people have taken one bump and quit. And me, well, my first bump… I didn’t feel it that much. At least, not as much as I was expecting. I guess HOG has a good ring with a lot of give. I’m not saying it was a perfect bump. It will take a lot of practice before I think it’ll even be considered good. But, I think I’m coming along nicely.

In the month since, it’s been a gradual process. I’ve learned some chain wrestling. I’ve learned a front bump. I’ve spent a little bit of time doing flip bumps, and I’ve learned to run the ropes. That is the one thing that Brian XL has taught me so far. And it’s fun. I’m still picking everything up, but I think I’m coming along at a pretty good pace. I always like to say that I learned to learn as a high school wrestler. And I pick stuff up fast. I know that I want to learn it all, and I want to learn it all now. But I also know that I have to take my time, and learn step by step. And it keeps me excited to find out what’s next.

After my second week, I was offered an opportunity that I’m very excited for. Next Friday, on April 24^th, 2015, House of Glory will be presenting its Student Showcase. As you can tell from the title, it’s a show meant to feature the HOG students. Brian XL took me and several of the other “new kids”, and told us that if we sold 10 tickets each, we could participate in the battle royal. At first, I’ll admit I was hesitant. Would I be ready to work after only seven weeks? But the more I thought about it, the more excited I got. Besides, a battle royal will be easy to work. We spent one day going over how to get thrown over the top rope and eliminated. So now I just have to get my striking up to par, and pair that with my getting eliminated, trying to eliminate others, and trying to not be eliminated, and boom, you got a battle royal!

One of my favorite parts about my training is getting my nickname. Red and Brian are terrible with names (in fact me and Brian XL are both Brian, and he still has trouble with it.) I don’t blame them, I’m only so-so on remembering names myself, and they’ve probably taken a decent amount of head shots in their careers. So Red comes up with a nickname for everyone. And I love mine.

Now, apparently I look exactly like Red used to look when he was younger. As some of you may recall, TNA ran a storyline where Red introduced Tommy Mercer as his “little brother”, who took the name Crimson. In fact, some 5 years later now, Red and Crimson are currently the co holders of the House of Glory Tag Team Championship. Now, the funny part is meant to be that Red is smaller than Crimson, yet Red is the older brother. Now, I’m not much smaller than Red, but I am smaller. So I soon became jokingly referred to as Red’s older brother.

A few times I was referred to as Little Red, or occasionally Red would call me Jonathan Figueroa (Red’s real name, but let’s keep kayfabe and pretend I never said that). After looking up the shades of red, I suggested I become Cardinal, as it’s the first shade of red I saw that I liked. Now, as the rules of nicknames dictate, you’re not allowed to pick your own nickname. So instead, Red suggested Burgundy. And just like that, I became “Burgundy”. I’ll admit, I like Cardinal more. So I wasn’t a huge fan of Burgundy to begin with. But I love what it represents. I mean, I was a big fan of Red’s when I was younger. Still am. So if you told 14 year old me that I was going to be nicknamed Burgundy, because I was Red’s “older brother”, I would have flipped out in a fit of joy. Now, it just makes me smile and laugh. It’s pretty cool. And I’ll admit, Burgundy is better than Maroon or Scarlet. And it’s also kind of cool since Ron Burgundy is one of the greatest news anchors of all time. So I’ll take it.

And there it is. In a nutshell, my first month of training. It’s been really fun. Like, really fun. I’ve laughed, I’ve worked, and I’ve bumped. And not once have I questioned myself. I belong in there. I love it. About a week ago, we did some drills that involved me working some spots in front of the rest of the class. We got a few minutes to work out the spots, and then we did them in the ring. And I have to say, getting in the ring while my fellow trainees are on the floor chanting, “Burgundy! Burgundy! Burgundy!” is freaking amazing. One spot included me doing my first ever hurricanrana, and I got several compliments on it. And all of that made me finally realize. I love wrestling, and that’s exactly what I need to do with my life. So I’m excited for what’s to come. I’m excited for the battle royal next week. I’m excited for everything in my future. And I can’t wait to set the world of wrestling on fire.

Remember, go out, and enjoy what you’re doing. Don’t forget to live in the moment. Go out, and just live alive.

Follow me on Twitter. I’m @MC_Live_LS (Although I might change it soon. But I’ll get to that later.)

WrestleMania 31 Predictions

So tonight’s the night. It’s the Super Bowl of wrestling. It’s the biggest night of the year. The grandest stage of them all- WrestleMania Play Button!

This is the worst WrestleMania build I have ever seen. I have a hard time doing wrestling predictions when the shows suck, because I have no idea what story they want to tell. So I can’t guess how they’re going to tell it. But, (lack of) quality of the build aside, it’s still WrestleMania. And I have no doubt that the matches tonight will be very good. So with that in mind, let me now list my WrestleMania 31 predictions.

1) Kickoff- Tyson Kidd & Cesaro (C) vs. The Usos vs. Los Matadores vs. The New Day

I am happy that WWE tries to get everybody on the show. But with the big battle royal, they don’t need to put guys into matches they don’t belong. The tag division has been dead in WWE for a very long time, and teams like Los Matadores and the New Day aren’t going to revive it. This will be a good match no doubt. But obviously the powers that be don’t believe it’ll be good enough to make the main show. The only two teams that are even somewhat over right now are Kidd & Cesaro, and the Usos. If Kidd & Cesaro got matching gear and a team name, then they wouldn’t be missing anything. So the field is really down to two here. And as much as I like The Usos, I just have a gut feeling that the two guys who bring the big pennies in are going to be the ones carrying them out.

Official Prediction- Kidd & Cesaro retain

 

2) Kickoff- André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

So this Battle Royal has become very not important huh? Last year’s winner is still on the pre-show. And now not only has the Battle Royal lost 10 (technically 11) competitors, but it’s on the pre-show. There aren’t a lot of possible winners here. Realistically, it’s down to a possibly returning Sheamus, Miz, Mizdow, and Ryback. Hideo Itami may make a statement and win, but I doubt it. I think the most likely scenario is the breakup of Miz and Mizdow, which has been played out perfectly. There were rumors that this was moved to the pre-show to make room for another singles match. We may get Miz vs. Mizdow on the PPV. And even though I would like that, I would prefer to have the Battle Royal on the show and give Mizdow his WrestleMania moment by eliminating the Miz to win the Battle Royal. So that’s where I’m going.

Official Prediction- Mizdow becomes Sandow again

 

3) AJ & Paige vs. The Bella Twins

I am so happy that the Divas division is being given more respect. If the right girls are put out there, and are given the right platform to perform, than there’s no telling how good it could get. Can you imagine how good a competitive division with girls like AJ, Paige, Charlotte, Natalya, Sasha Banks, Bayley, and Naomi could be? It would be fantastic! And if given the right amount of time, this match tonight can be great. I’m not the biggest fan of the Bella’s, but they can hold their own in the ring. They’re not AJ or Paige good in the ring, but they can handle themselves. However, I just don’t see them winning. SmackDown featured a great promo from these four, and I feel that the story coming out of last weeks show will be AJ and Paige putting their differences aside to beat “The Kardashians”. But believe it or not, I’m actually excited about a divas WrestleMania match. Damn!

Official Prediction- The Anti-Divas Win

 

4) Bad News Barrett (C) vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Luke Harper vs. R-Truth vs. Stardust

This is one of the stupidest stories. I hated the hot potato everyone steal the belt storyline. I hate how Bad News Barrett literally hasn’t won a match in months (outside of a DQ win). But, at least people are talking about the title. There are a few contenders here. Ambrose and Ziggler would both make great champions. And R-Truth would be a big surprise win that nobody saw coming, but he isn’t going to do that. I think Harper and Stardust would be fantastic if they’re allowed the right platform. And I would love to see Barrett be a badass champion like he always should have been. But… I think there’s really only one choice. Nobody on TV is over like Daniel Bryan, and while some people think this is a step down for Bryan (and it is) I think it will be a bigger step up for the IC Title.

Official Prediction- The Yes Movement Goes Intercontinental

 

5) Rusev (C) vs. John Cena- United States Championship

I don’t want to see John Cena win the United States Championship form Rusev. Yes, it would really elevate the title. But I don’t think having Rusev’s first lost come to Cena is a smart move. But… I think WWE will still do it. As much as I don’t like it, all the signs like Rusev having the upper hand on the go home show are pointing towards a Cena title win. Rumors are that Triple H is a supporter of having Cena and Bryan bring the US and IC titles to the main event. So I hope I’m wrong, but I have to go with my gut here. 11 years after defeating Big Show in MSG for his first title, history will repeat itself.

Official Prediction- John Cena Can See the United States Championship

 

6) Seth Rollins vs. Randy Orton

The story here should have been better. The whole Randy rejoining the Authority thing was stupid. And seriously, after Orton destroyed Rollins on Raw, I feel like this angle lost all of the heat it had. Why we got the blow off before the match I won’t get. But these two will still have a great match. It should have been hotter, but that’s ok. It’s still going to be a very good show. The former face of the Authority vs. the Future. I guess it kind of makes sense for Orton to win and then for Rollins to get his revenge at the next event. But I don’t want that. I think it will be much better for Rollins to get a big Mania win over the Viper, not a big Extreme Rules win. I really hope I’m right here.

Official Prediction- Curb Stomp City (with some help from J & J Security)

 

7) Bray Wyatt vs. The Undertaker

I don’t really want to see this match. I mean, Undertaker vs. Bray Wyatt sounds like a great match. And Wyatt’s promos have been fantastic. But I don’t think that another loss at WrestleMania is a good thing for Bray Wyatt. What will losing do for him? But, on the other hand, nobody wants to see 21-2. I know I don’t. I think that in respect to the Streak, the Undertaker should have only one loss at WrestleMania. And since it came last year, I think he should have retired. But, he didn’t and now he’s going to face Bray Wyatt. And looking at everything going in, it’s down to what’s better? An Undertaker loss or a Bray Wyatt loss? And even though I don’t want to see it, I think that Bray Wyatt needs this.

Official Prediction: 21-2 (Dammit)

 

8) Sting vs. Triple H

I like this story. I think it has been played out very well. Personally, I would have made Sting vs. Bray Wyatt, and left Taker off the show. But I didn’t make this card, did I? So now we have Sting vs. Triple H. Now surprisingly, Triple H has not gotten the upper hand at all during this feud. That would leave one to believe that Triple H would finally get it in their match. But are they really going to bring Sting in for what may be his only match in the company just to lose? I don’t think so. Who wants to see that? (Besides Triple H’s ego) The fans want to see The Vigilante get justice, and that’s what I think he’s gonna do.

Official Prediction: The Icon Get’s His WrestleMania Moment

 

9) Brock Lesnar (C) w/ Paul Heyman vs. Roman Reigns- WWE Championship

Brock re-signing adds a lot of intrigue to this match. For months leading up to this match, a lot of people were sure that Roman Reigns was going to win. But, it’s pretty obvious that Roman Reigns has not connected with the crowd like expected. The biggest problem is there was no build to see Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar. The build up has been Paul Heyman talking and Brock Lesnar almost leaving. WWE never gave us a reason to want to see Roman Reigns beat Brock Lesnar. So, none of the fans want to really see it. And with Brock signing, there is belief that since Roman Reigns clearly shouldn’t be on top, that Brock will keep the belt. I don’t really know what’s going to happen. But I’m going to say that the plan all along has been for Roman Reigns to be champ, and until I see Brock Lesnar get his hand raised, I refuse to believe that Vince will change his mind.

Official Prediction- Believe That

(All Photos Courtesy of WWE.com)

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